To New Assistants
by NinjahMonkey1
Summary: AU where Miranda and Andy switch jobs. Everyone knows that once you've been Andrea's assistant for at least a year you can do anything. So here she is, mother of two, two divorces, and with a love of fashion, Miranda Priestly is interviewing for the job of assistant.
1. Chapter 1

_Disclaimer: I own nothing. As much as I wish I do, I have don't get to call these lovely characters mine._

She walks out of the elevator and everyone stops at the sound. They are staring. She brushes it off with a glare, and they quickly get back to their work as if nothing had happened, as if she didn't exist. She walks confidently in her one pair of slightly scuffed Prada heels, towards the main office of the one and only Andrea Sachs. She has heard a lot about Miss Sachs, the youngest woman to be editor in chief of a magazine, angel face with a touch of a dark side, million girls wanting to be her assistant. She knew she had a late start, a very late start into the fashion game, but she was hoping for a chance at an in. Everyone knows that once you've been Andrea's assistant for at least a year you can do anything. So here she is, mother of two, two divorces, and with a love of fashion, Miranda Priestly is interviewing for the job of assistant.

As soon as she opens the door Miranda hears a groan, "You have got to be kidding me." A feminine voice, probably british, exclaims. "This is what HR sends me? She is not going to be pleased with this." The woman waves for Miranda to follow her and walks down the hall to the main office.

Miranda brushes off Emily's earlier comments and says with a fake friendly tone, "Hello, I am here for an interview with Miss Sachs." As soon as those words left her mouth, Emily's phones goes off and in an instant she is in a panic. A man opens the door of the main office, "She is on her way up." Emily says.

"She's early," He glances over to Miranda and raises his eyebrows, "well that is going to be interesting." He says with a chuckle. Miranda just glares. He turns to walk out while telling the office to 'gird their loins.' whatever that means.

The whole 17th floor is in a panic rushing to get everything neat and in place. Emily is rushing around the main office pouring water and placing magazines on a desk, then rushes towards the elevators. Miranda just watches as the whole office takes a deep breath everything freezes, just waiting for something. Then it happens, just a simple little thing, a small insignificant thing. The elevator dings. Then she appears. Andrea Sachs. Sunglasses still settled on her face. Her outfit is perfection. Miranda finds herself staring. The tight black Calvin Klein pants seem to be made for Andrea's form. The flowing royal purple Vera Wang dress that stops right about the knees is to die for. Then those shoes, the blood red Prada heels, there is no words.

Andrea stalks forward and everyone quickly jumps out of her way. She makes walks into the office and drops her bag onto Emily's desk. Emily quickly stands up and takes the binder from Andrea's hands as she beings to speak, "I want the spread completely redone. The whole scene is a catastrophe. Can no one do anything right? Also I need you to cancel my lunch today, I am not in the mood to deal with people. I want Patrick on the phone is 20 minutes, and get me my coffee. Thanks Emily." Andrea turns to walk into her office but stops, "who is she?"

"Oh her, well Andrea that's who HR sent to be interviewed for your assistant, I was going to do it," Emily starts to explain.

"Oh Emily, I don't want your excuses alright? Just send her in and I will deal with it." Andrea says with a sigh. She walks into her office and sits down behind her desk and taps her pen on the top impatiently.

Emily hisses at Miranda, "go she is waiting."

Miranda rolls her eyes and snarks back, "thank you so much, it's like I wasn't here to witness her statement." She walks into Andrea's office and is surprised. It had a homey feel to it, she expected something harsh and completely, well _fasion._ But no, it had a worn couch, a couple of framed newspaper clippings, and what looked like family photos. "Hello Miss Sachs," Miranda started.

Andrea looks up from the paperwork, "why are you here?" She asks in a soft voice, completely different from the one she used outside while talking with Emily a few moments ago.

Miranda is shocked, but keeps her face impassive, "I am here to be your assistant." She states firmly. Andrea leans back into her chair and just stares. She looks Miranda up and down almost like she is contemplating something.

"They always are," She mumbles, "Alright Miss…"

"Priestly, Miranda Priestly." She supplies.

"Miranda," the name just rolls off Andrea's tongue, "I can see you know some things about fashion, or you just got lucky with that outfit. But I need someone who can keep up, and do what I need them to right when I need them too. This is a fast pace job. Do you think you can keep up?" Andrea says with a smirk.

Miranda just stands up straighter and glares at Andrea with her piercing blue eyes, "I can." She barely holds herself back from saying completely bitchy.

Andrea once agains looks her over, she tilts her head and just nods. "I guess it's settled, Emily will explain things." She looks up with a smirk, "That's all."

Miranda walks out of the office stunned. She got the job, she knew that she would fight for it but deep down she also knew there was no way she was going to be hired. What is the even bigger shock is that Andrea herself hired her. "What just happened?" She whispered to herself.

"You just sold your soul to the devil. Welcome to _Runway_ better know as hell most days." Emily said with a grimace. "Now then, Andrea has decided to hire you, probably do the amount of stress she is under, her brain had a momentary lapse. Don't expect to stay long. They only last about a couple of weeks." Emily grumbles. "Alright first rule: you are now chained to that desk. You are not allowed to leave ever. If Andrea wants something done, you call me and I will go get it. I don't want to deal with an angry Andrea, so call me. Also you never, and I mean never, miss a call. Andrea hates voice mail." Emily pauses, "are you getting all of this?"

"Of course, I wasn't born yesterday." Miranda said with some sass. She pretended not to hear the soft, _obviously_ Emily muttered. At that moment the phone rings.

Emily gives her a pointed stare and answers, "Andrea Sachs office." She pauses as the other person speaks, "She is in a meeting right now, can I take a message?" Emily scribbles something down then hangs up. "That is how you answer the phone."

"Anything else I should know before I sit down?" Miranda asks.

"Andrea never explains herself, so don't expect her to at any time. Alright now I will be back in about twenty minutes. Don't leave this desk."

"Of course." Miranda said softly as she watches Emily walk away.

About fifteen minutes of just sitting at her desk answering phone calls exactly the way Emily did Miranda hears a soft voice from inside Andrea's office.

"Emily." Andrea calls. She rolls her eyes, _"Where is that stupid british girl now."_ Andrea just leans back in her chair with a big sigh, _"When did work become such a chore? I need a day off, maybe tomorrow I will stay home. Who am I kidding fashion waits for nobody."_ Andrea thinks bitterly, she straights up in her chair and calls, "Emily!"

Miranda finally gets up from her chair and walks in, "Emily has stepped out Miss Sachs. Is there anything I can help you with?" Miranda says in an impassive tone. While Miranda's exterior was all ice and confidence, on the inside was a bundle of nerves. Her stomach rolled at the thought of doing something wrong and being fired on her first day.

"I need my coffee, and get me Nigel up here." Andrea says in a tired voice. Quickly she realizes how she said that and hardens her eyes, "And when that airhead assistant of mine gets back in from god knows where," Andrea voice darkens, "I need to speak with her. That's all."

Miranda nods and walks out, and sits behind her desk with a shiver. At that moment Emily walks into the office, "Why were you up? I told you to stay behind that desk!"

"Miss Sachs was calling for you, so I went in. She wants to see NIgel and she wants to talk with you."

Emily's eyes widen, she clears her throat, "yes well, alright." She squares her shoulders and starts walking towards Andrea. She looks back at Miranda, "Also she hates being called Miss Sachs, so call her Andrea."

Miranda just nods and watches the scene unfold in front of her. Andrea is calmly talking to Emily and Emily slowing starts to lose her tall stature. There was no shouting. Nothing looked out of the ordinary. Then Emily walked back out into the outer office with tears in her eyes. She moved to sit behind her desk and took a shuttering breath. "That woman has a way with words. I would make sure to grow some thick skin, and fast. Andrea has a way of finding your weakness and exploiting it." Emily says solemnly. Again Miranda justs nods.

It was finally time to go home, Andrea sweeps out of the office demanding for her bag and for someone to let Roy know that she is ready to be picked up. And just like she appears, she disappears with a ding of the elevator. Miranda lets out a breath she didn't realize she was holding, and start straightening up her desk. "Is it like this everyday?" She asks Emily.

Emily looks up from her computer, "This was an easy day. Welcome to fashion. Alright now that she is gone, the most important job we have as an assistant is the Book."

"The Book?"

"Yes, every night I wait here for the Book to be finished by editing, the I bring it directly to Andrea's house. There she reviews it and marks what she wants to be fixed. The next morning she brings it back and gives it to me so I can give it back to editing for the mistakes to be fixed."

"Ah, so that's what she handed you this morning." Miranda says with realization coloring her voice.

"Yes exactly. Now while you get to go home, I have to stay here and wait for the Book. Andrea doesn' t trust you enough with the Book yet so that responsibility falls onto me."

"Yes well, good night Emily." Miranda says stiffly.

Miranda finally makes it home at the reasonable time of, 11:45. She groans, _"great the twins are already in bed, and I will probably have to deal with Stephen."_ She climbs up the stairs of her home to her daughter's room. Much to her surprise, they are both awake and whispering to each other. "And what do you think you two are doing?"

Both girls jump at the intrusion, but quickly recover by jumping out of bed and running to greet their mother. "Mom! How was work?" They both said at the same time. Miranda just shook her head, _"They probably practiced that"_ she thought with a small smile. "It was something. Now why are my two daughters still awake at this time of night?" Miranda said with a glare.

The twins looked down, "Well we just wanted to see you after your first day of work." Cassidy said sheepishly while Caroline nodded.

"Well here I am, now get into bed and go to sleep. You have school tomorrow and I have work. Good night Bobbseys." Miranda said as she hugged both her daughters. She walked out of the twins room and into her own. Stephen wasn't in the bed. _"At least I won't have to deal with him. He's probably passed out on the couch. Idiot._ " She quickly changed into her pajamas, and sunk into bed with a sigh. "Only 364 more days to go."


	2. Chapter 2

Andy groans as her alarm goes off. "Noooo, it's too early." She rolls over and smacks her hand down on her alarm clock, only she is met with the cold wood of her bed side table. She growls as the memory of moving her alarm clock to the other side of the room returns. "Why did I do that to myself? I slept in one time, and now I torture myself every morning." She grumbles as she gets out of bed to turn off the alarm. "What 25 year old gets up at 4:00 in the morning anyway? Oh right I do. I had to go and get a good job where I am expected to act responsibly." Andy pauses, "and apparently I talk to myself now." She shakes her head and walking into the bathroom to take her morning shower.

An hour and a half later, dressed, pressed and ready to go, Andy calls Roy to pick her up. She sits on the steps outside her townhouse and reviews the Book looking for anything she missed last night.

"If you keep sitting outside like that, someone might think you are human." A male voice cuts through the quiet morning.

Andy looks up with a smile, "and what would people think when they hear one of Andrea Sachs employees talking to her so informally?"

"The press wouldn't know what to do." Roy says with a smile.

"Good morning Roy."

"Morning Andy. Ready to go?" He opens the car door and wait for Andy to get in.

"Ready as I will every be." Andy says with a sigh.

When they reach the front of the building Andy waits for Roy to do his normal morning text to Emily to let them know she is here. While she may seem harsh in the office, Andy tries to do everything she can to help out her employees. She hates being so harsh, but what is a young woman supposed to do in the world of fashion? If she wasn't harsh she wouldn't have lasted as long as she has. With a sigh Andy puts on her sunglasses and climbs out of the car. _'Another day in my paradise'_ she thinks sarcastically.

Andy is met with the usual when she gets out of the elevator, Emily waiting for instructions and peoples backs as they walk away from her. _'Gotta love being on top.'_ She shakes her head, _'and I have to get out of my head.'_ Andy rolls her eyes at herself, "Emily, coffee, Donatella in ten minutes, Nigel in thirty, tell Richard to redo those photos." She pauses, "that's all."

"Yes, Andrea" Emily says then rushes off to get things done.

Andy sighs, _'wow I really need to stop sighing. And I really have to stop this internal monologue.'_ Her thoughts are interrupted by her phone ringing, "Yes."

—

Miranda woke up feeling only slightly rested. Yesterday keep replaying in her mind over and over. She was still in awe that Miss Sachs, _'Andrea'_ a small voice whispers in the back of her head, had taken a chance on her and given her the job. _"If Andrea was willing to take a chance on me, then I'm going to prove that she made the right choice."_ With that thought she says goodbye to the girls and is off. She makes it to the office bright and early. She sits at her desk and fiddles with her computer while observing the office with keen eyes. She watches as clothes seems to appear and disappear in a constant flow.

Soon, just like yesterday, Emily receives her warning text that Andrea is on her way up. The same man, who she learned is Nigel, walks in to drop something off at Emily's desk and gave the same warning as yesterday. Everything stilled, then _ding_ , everything goes back to its chaos after Andrea makes her morning appearance.

Miranda was sitting at her desk answering calls with the same line, when she heard a quiet call for Emily from Andrea's office. She looks up and over to Emily.

"Emily" Andrea called louder this time.

"She means you idiot!" Emily hisses at Miranda.

"Oh," Miranda grabs her pen and notepad just like she had seen Emily do yesterday, took a deep breath and walks into the inner office, "yes Andrea?"

She watches as Andrea stiffened for a second then relaxes back into her normal posture. _'I wonder what that was?'_ Miranda thought.

"Miranda I need coffee. Emily will tell you my order. I want it here in five minutes."

Miranda waits to see if there was anything else. Andrea looks up at her with a devilish smirk, "four minutes and forty five seconds, better hurry."

Miranda scrambles out of Andrea's office as fast as she could, the sound of a soft laugh following her all the way out of the office.

Back with one no-foam skimmed latte with an extra shot and three drops of coffee with room for milk at the temperature of the center of the sun and fifteen seconds to spare, Miranda walks into Andrea's office slightly out of breath and a little flushed from the running, "here is your coffee Andrea."

Andrea raises her eyebrow and glances at her clock, she looks back over to a flushed Miranda and smirks just a little, "that's all." With that Miranda is dismissed.

Miranda returns to her desk and sits down with a huff, _'I'm going to have to start exercising again.'_ She rolls her neck and tries to get her breathing under control. _'God when did I get old?'_

—

Andy is staring holes into her desk. She is trying to take deep breaths to calm her racing heart, but it's not really working. _'Pull yourself together Andrea! Just because a very attractive woman walks in here looking delightfully disheveled does not give you the right to completely shut down and stop working!'_ Andy berates herself, _'it is her second day of work for god sakes! And did I really just Andrea myself? Jeez I really need get out of my head'_ Andy shakes her head and focuses back on the work in front of her.

Exactly one minutes and thirteen seconds later, Andy groans. "Emily!" She watches with a smirk as her first assistant scrambles around her desk.

"Yes Andrea?" Emily asks.

"These photos will not do. The coloring is off, I have no idea why this even crossed my desk. Clearly someone in the art department thought it would be funny to waste my time with these."

"I'm sorry Andrea, I'll take them down to be redone right now."

"That's all." Andy says with a raised eyebrow. She watches as Emily rushes out of her office, says a few words to Miranda and is off to the art department.

Andy leans back in her chair, and shifts to the right just a little bit to glance at Miranda. As if she senses someone staring, Miranda looks up and meets Andy's gaze. Andy gasps as her eyes connects with the striking blue eyes of her new assistant. She leans her head to the side as if she was trying to unravel the mystery that is Miranda. With a slight nod, Andy looks away and returns to work.

—

Miranda is frozen. She can't move. _"She was looking at me. Why was she looking at me?"_ A myriad thoughts rushed through Miranda's head. _"Did I do something wrong? She was looking at me. Is she going to fire me? She has such a lovely shade of brown eyes. Should I ask Emily about it? They are more than brown… They are like a rich dark chocolate. Why am I thinking about Andrea's eyes?"_ Miranda rolls her eyes at herself. She stretches out her neck and back with a couple of pops. She glances back towards the small window into Andrea's office only to find empty space. With a sigh she gets back to work.

The times flies and soon Andrea leaves with a flourish of Jimmy Choo and Gucci. The office seems to take a deep breath, exhale slowly, and relax. The constant movement dwindled away to the occasional person leaving. Without Andrea there too keep everyone on their toes, the office is a calm, almost peaceful.

Miranda finds herself able to breathe for the first time since her eyes met with Andrea's this morning. She slouches down into her seat and sighs. Emily looks up at her with an almost pitying look, "Working here isn't a piece of cake."

Miranda smiles a little, "You are very right about that. I honestly didn't know what I was expecting when I came to interview. Well I wasn't expecting to get the job, but the work just isn't what I thought it would be. You know?"

Emily laughed, "Well working here isn't like working at any other fashion magazine. Hell it isn't like working at any other magazine. Working here is different. And that is all Andrea."

"She is something." Miranda says with a sigh.

Emily nods, "that she is. Alright get out of here. Go home. I'll see you tomorrow MIranda."

"Night Emily." Miranda says. Soon she is out the door and on her way home. She stops at the convenience store and buys some cheap ice cream for her and her girls. She smiles at the thought of her girls' faces when she shows up with ice cream. She laughs a little and hurries home.

Even though it was past eleven, and way past their bedtime, as soon as Miranda walked into the door she was attacked by two very excited girls. "Hello Bobbseys! I've got a surprise."

"What is it mom?" Caroline and Cassidy ask at the same time with the exact same smirk.

"Well I was walking home and decided I wanted some…. Ice cream!" Miranda says with a laugh. Both girls shrieked excitedly and pulled Miranda into the kitchen.

As the girls finished up their bowls of ice cream Miranda sighed. _"These two are a mess. A very loveable mess, but a mess nonetheless."_

Miranda stood up, "Alright girls time for bed. Go brush your teeth and get ready for bed."

"But mom,"

"Don't 'but mom' me, I let you stay up late and eat ice cream. No complaining. Bed. Go."

"Yes mom." Caroline says in defeat.

"Night mom." Cassidy says sleepily.

"Yeah, night mom." Caroline says.

Miranda smiles at her girls, "Night Bobbseys." Miranda sighs as she watches her girls climb the stairs up to their bedroom. _"I wonder what tomorrow will bring. Only 363 days to go."_

 _ **Ending notes: Hi guys! Sorry for such a long wait for the update! I am really bad at updating… But I hope you like chapter two! Please leave me a review! ~NinjahMonkey**_


	3. Chapter 3

" _I can't believe it has been two months since I started working as Andrea's assistant."_ Miranda thought as she walked into work. _"Time really does fly."_ Just like every single day of those two months, Emily receives her warning text from Roy, Nigel warns the office in his colorful wording, and just like always the quiet moment right before the elevators dings, and then right back to work.

Miranda is sitting at her desk when the quiet call of "Miranda" is heard. She looks up wide eyed at Emily, who is just as shocked. Soon a louder "Miranda" is heard coming from inside Andrea's office. Miranda scrambles around her desk and rushes into the office. "Yes Andrea."

Andrea doesn't look up from the pictures she is holding, "You are with me for the show today. Call David and let him know we will be there at 11:45 sharp." Andrea looks up with the smirk on her face, "that's all."

Miranda is in a slight daze as she walks back to her desk. She flops down into her seat. "Well what did she want?" Emily whisper-yelled.

"She is taking me to David's show."

"She is taking _you_ to the show. Today's show." Emily said skeptically.

"Yes. That's what she said." Miranda looks up at Emily, "What do I do at the show? Who will be there? What happens there?"

"Whoa whoa. I don't want to deal with your problems. Go find Nigel. He will be at the show. Go bother him." Emily said with a sniff and a flick of her hand. Miranda stands up and walks off to find Nigel.

She finds him very quickly. He is, of course, in the closet. "Are you ever going to come out of the closet?" Miranda asks with a smirk.

"Mir! What are you doing here?" Nigel says with a smile. "And only I decide when to come out of the closet. It is pretty comfy in here, plus all these clothes! What's not to love in the closet?"

"Andrea is taking me to David's show."

"What? When did that happen?"

"Just now. She called me into her office, by _my name_ , and told me I was going with her."

"Wow Mir. You're growing up so fast." Nigel wipes away a nonexistent tear.

"Oh shut up. Now tell me, what goes on at a show and what am I expected to do?"

"Well we go and watch what the designer has to offer. They will model the clothing for us, but you only glance at the clothing, what you need to focus on is Andrea. Andrea has three signs. One: nothing. If she doesn't do anything then the piece is acceptable. That is what she does most of the time. Two: she will nod. That means she loves it. There are very few nods that I have ever seen and I have been working with Andrea for years. Finally three, this is the most important one. If she purses her lips then the piece is awful. If a piece gets the pursed lips then it basically couldn't be sold at Target." Nigel says very seriously.

"Ok, so three signs: nothing, nod, and pursed lips. Got it. Now, what exactly am I supposed to be doing?"

"You, my dear, are there to watch and learn. If Andrea wants you there then she has some reason for it. I would be taking notes. Real close notes."

"Got it. Notes. Ok." Miranda runs her hand through her short grey hair.

"Nothing to worry about." Nigel says with a smile. "You will be fine, promise."

"Ok. Yeah. Fine." Miranda says distractedly. "I'll just go back to my desk. Call David. And um do something."

"Good plan." Nigel says with fake seriousness. Miranda turns and walks slowly out of the closet in a slight daze. "Poor girl. Probably scared out of her mind." A smile slowly spreads across his face, "This ought to be fun."

—

Soon 11:15 rolls around and Andrea flies out of her office. "Bag." She extends her hand towards Miranda, who then scrambles to get her bag out of the side closet. As soon as Andrea has her bag in hand, she is walking off towards the elevator with Miranda following closely behind. Once they reach the elevators Andrea steps in, Miranda stops to wait for the next one. Andrea smirks and raises and eyebrow, "Well? Are you just going to stand there or are you going to get in?"

"O-oh well, uh…" Miranda stutters and awkwardly shuffles into the elevator.

"No use in you waiting for the next one, then I would end up waiting for you at the bottom." Andrea says casually.

"Of course Andrea." Miranda says slightly confused. They ride down in complete silence. However both of their thoughts are flying a mile a minute.

" _Did she just explain herself? I thought Andrea never explained herself? And she is sharing the elevator? What is with that? I'm going to have to talk to Nigel…She does smell nice. I don't think I have ever been this close to her. I wonder what perfume she wears..."_ Miranda shakes her head in confusion.

Similar thoughts are going through Andrea's mind. _"Oh god… I explained myself. Why? Just because she has pretty eyes doesn't mean you have to go all soft on her! She is your assistant! You are Andrea freaking Sachs! You don't explain yourself. But she does have really pretty eyes… No! You do not explain yourself. You do not share your elevator! And just because she has really pretty eyes, eyes that you can just drown in for days… no. She does not get special treatment!"_ Eyes hard and a firm nod of her head, Andrea straightens her stance and waits for the elevator to reach the ground floor.

 _Ding!_ The elevators doors slides open and Andrea rushes out. She fishes her sunglasses out of her bag and slides them on. She quickly walked out the door and into her town car that Roy had ready and waiting for her.

Miranda was following quickly behind, but once she reached the car she slowed to a stop. "Uh… Andrea?"

Andrea sighs, _"I'm going to regret this._ " She glances over, "Get in. We are going to be late at this rate." Miranda stands shocked for a second. "Come on already. I don't like to be kept waiting." With that Miranda rushes into the car with a gulp.

—

The car ride over to David's studio was filled with a tense silence. Miranda sat in confusion, while Andrea berated herself over being nice. They couldn't arrive quick enough. Once they arrived Andrea fled the car much like she had done with the elevator.

Andrea was still able to keep the perfect look of the renowned fashion editor, even after a tense drive, with New York traffic no less. Once they were inside, a small group gathered and sat down behind Andrea, with a simple flick of her hair, she was able to capture everyone's attention. And she did have everyone's attention, even though it was David's show, Andrea was all the small group could focus on.

Miranda followed along with the group. She studied Andrea closely as the different outfits were shown. She watched as each piece received the same judgement, acceptable. Once Andrea made her decision on the piece, Miranda allowed herself to look at the clothing. Some of the pieces were just breathtaking, and they still received that same, a blank face of acceptable. Then it happened. The final piece was being shown, and Andrea pursed her lips. Immediately David started making excuse about "how it wasn't finished yet" or "how he was rushed to get it done in time for the show" Andrea still pursed her lips.

"Come Miranda. We are done here." Andrea stood up and started walking out. She pauses when she was beside David, "Fix it." And then she was gone.

—

Andrea exhales slowly as she sits down in her chair in her home office. She takes a healthy sip of her wine and relaxes into her chair. _"Well today was interesting. I can't believe I'm letting her get to me. I don't know what I'm going to do…"_ With a sigh Andrea opens up the Book and starts editing.

Before she realizes it, two hours has gone by and so has a bottle of wine. Andrea sits up with a groan, "I'm going to have to go to a chiropractor. All this hunching over is killing my upper back and neck. Mmmm, I'll text Miranda and let her know to make me an appointment." She fumbles around looking for her phone. "Aha! Here is the bloody sucker! Mkay… 'Miranda, I need you to set up an appointment with my chiropractor as soon as possible, please. My neck is killing me.' annnnd send. Alright now that is taken care of, I will head off to bed." Andrea looks around the room, "And maybe someday I will stop talking to myself, maybe I need to get me a pet… maybe a cat, I like cats..."

Across the city, Miranda's phones goes off. _"What on earth is someone texting me at this hour. I swear if that is Cassidy again I will take her phone for a month!"_ Miranda puts down her book and walks over to the dresser to check her phone, "Oh, it's from Andrea. How strange of her to text me at this hour, or well how strange of her to text me at all." Miranda shakes her head.

She quickly reads over the text, " _she said please! Please! I wonder what has gotten into her… First she shares her elevator, then her car, now a please! Why is she being sooo not Andrea, so… well, nice? It's a little nice to see this side of Andrea. And it is a little nice that she is just doing it for me."_ Miranda thinks with a small smile. _"Admit it, you like it."_ A small voice whispers in the back of her head. Miranda laughs nervously, "No, it's just late and it has been rather stressful at the office with the deadline approaching soon. And she is probably just tired, it was a long day with the show and everything. I know I am tired so I am sure she must be tired as well. That's all. Just tired. There is nothing more to it." Miranda says firmly. "And I am talking to myself, I really must be tired." And with that final thought Miranda returns to bed and picks up her book to finish the chapter before getting some much needed sleep. _"Only 303 more days."_

 _ **Ending Notes: Hey guys! I am trying to update as soon as I finish the chapter. Let me know what you think in the reviews! Reviews make my day and make me write faster! ~NinjahMonkey**_


	4. Chapter 4

_Beep beep beep… beep beep beep_ "God what is that infernal sound!" Andy groans as she is slowly dragged from the embrace of sleep. "Ugh my head…" she mutters as she stumbles out of bed to stop the blasted noise coming from her alarm clock. "This is what I get for drinking a whole bottle of wine." She struggles her way into the bathroom to get a glass of water and some pain killers. After downing three glasses of water Andrea makes her way to the shower. The hot water slowly reduces the throbbing going on in her head. The thirty minute shower puts her behind schedule, "maybe I'll take a day off." Andrea pauses then laughs, "when is the last time I took a day off?" She shakes her head and rushes around her room to get dressed.

When Andy is dressed and presentable she walks out of the townhouse to find Roy leaning up against the car. "You know if you were a few minutes more I would have thought something was wrong." says Roy.

"Just running a little late. My company last night didn't want me to get up this morning." Andrea says with a smirk.

"Ah," Roy says with a devious grin, "so another bottle of wine then?"

Andy laughs, "you know me so well."

Halfway through her work day Andy was bored. There really wasn't anything to do, _'good day to have a hangover'_ she thought. The whole office was rushing around trying to finish up the month's issue, and since everything basically was done and approved, Andy had a rare moment of boredom. With a smirk she decided to have a little fun.

"Miranda." She says calmly. She watches as Emily hisses at Miranda hurry up. Miranda gets up and walks into her office with a pen and notepad. "Close the door on your way in." Andy says as she spins her chair around to look out the window.

"What can I help you with Andrea?" Miranda says.

Andy is grinning over the sound of her name coming from Miranda. _'Maybe I'll let her call me Andy. That would really confuse her wouldn't it?'_ She schools her face into her normal bored expression and turns around to face Miranda. "Yes, what is your favorite movie?"

"Um what?" Miranda stutters out.

Andy nearly busts out laughing at the face Miranda is making. "Your favorite movie? You know a show that is generally around an hour and a half long? You would enjoy watching it? Maybe enjoy some popcorn to go with it?" Miranda is just standing there shocked, and Andy is enjoying every second of the stunned silence. "Miranda?"

Miranda shakes her head, "um yes?"

"The movie?"

"Oh um well, I don't know. I was never one for movies. I prefer a good book."

Andy hums. "Well since you can't help, that's all." She spins back around to face the windows with silent laughter. "Oh and close my door on the way out." As soon as her door is closed Andy lets out a laugh. _'God that was amazing. The face she made'_. Andy laughs again at the thought of Miranda's shocked face.

Miranda walks out of Andreas office really confused. She goes back to her desk and sits down.

"So, what does she want?" Emily asked snidely. Miranda just sat there in a daze. "Hey! Miranda!"

"Uh what?" Miranda shakes herself and looks at Emily.

"What did Andrea want?"

"Oh, she just asked me a question." Miranda says with a small frown. "Nothing important."

Emily huffs, "whatever. I'm going to speak with Nigel, don't leave the desk."

"Of course Emily." Miranda didn't see Emily walk out as she was back into her head thinking about the strange conversation that just took place. _'Why would she ask me about my favorite movie? I wonder if she asks everyone random questions… She doesn't seem like the person who would do that though. So why ask me?'_

Miranda shakes her head and turns to her computer to answer some of the thousands of emails that get sent to the office, while trying not to think about the glint that was in Andrea's eye when she was talking.

With a sigh, Andy decided that it was time to head home for the day. She stands up and stretches out her back which pops in protest. _'I really need to see that chiropractor'_ she thinks as her back makes another loud pop. She shakes herself off and walks out of her office, "Emily, Miranda will be delivering the Book today. Tell her how to do it." Andy almost laughed at the shocked expression on Emily's face. She turns to Miranda who is looking almost as shocked as Emily. "Bag and coat." Miranda shuffles over to the closet and gets her bag and coat and brings them over to Andy.

"Here you go Andrea."

Andy lets a small smile show on her face as Miranda says her name.Andy takes the bag and coat and walks towards the elevator, and soon the office is out of sight.

Emily is still standing in shock, when Miranda clears her throat. "So how do I do the Book?"

Emily looks over at her with a glare. "You shouldn't be doing it at all. But if Andrea wants you too then fine." She flicks her hair out from her face, "you will wait here till the people from art brings it up to you. You will not open it. You will not drop it and you will not waste time, go straight to Andrea's house. Once at her house you will quietly go in and put the Book on the table that is right inside the door, then leave. Andrea does not like being disturbed. Don't be heard or seen and don't be in there long."

Miranda nods, "got it. In and out."

Emily sniffs, "I'm going to go home. Don't mess this up." With another glare at Miranda, Emily grabs her bag, hands the key to Andrea's home to Miranda and stalks to the elevator.

Miranda sends a text to the twins knowing they will be up waiting on her even though she tells them not to. She texts them that she will be late home and not to wait up for her. _'Now it's the waiting game'_ she thinks with a sigh.

She sits in the office watching as people slowly trickle out. Finally the Book shows up and Miranda hurries to the elevator to get to Andrea's house as fast as she can. The cab ride over was stressful. Her stomach was full of butterflies at the thought of being in Andrea's home. She was cradling the Book to her chest like it was her child not wanting anything to happen to it.

After what felt like forever she pays the cab driver and walks up to the front of Andrea's townhouse. Miranda quietly slips the key into the lock and turns it, then slowly creeps into the house. She closes the door behind her and glances around looking for the table that Emily told her about. She takes a few steps in and the floorboard squeaks under her, and she grimaces. There is movement above her, she looks up and sees Andrea standing on the stairs with a glass of wine in her hand. Her outfit stuns Miranda, she is in a baggy hoodie and sweatpants.

"Umm, I-I uh, have the Book." Miranda manages to stutter out.

Andy is stunned. _'Of course she had to show up right as I am coming down the stairs. And looking like this nonetheless'_ Andy straightens her posture and goes into her boss mode. "Leave it on the table. That will be all."

"Oh um, yes, of course." Miranda looks around for the table. Spotting it she walks to it and places the Book on there with care. Andy slowly walks down the stairs while staring at Miranda. _'She looks so scared.'_ She thinks with a grimace. Without much thought she hears herself blurt out a question asking if Miranda prefers red or white wine. _'What is wrong with me today?'_

Miranda turns around with shock to see Andrea on the last stair looking at her with an intense stare. She clears her throat, "red. I prefer red."

Andy hums, "very well." She walks past Miranda, who is shocked to see her so short without her heels. Halfway down the hall, she pauses and looks back. "Come along," and she disappears behind a door.

Miranda is frozen in the hallway after Andrea's question. Once Andrea said 'come along' the assistant in her broke free and walked after Andrea. Once Miranda caught up, she found herself in the kitchen. Andrea was opening up a cabinet and pulling down a glass. Miranda stood in silence and just watched as Andrea poured a glass of red wine then slowly slid the glass across the counter towards her.

"Drink." said Andrea. Miranda walked up to the counter and took the glass of the counter and took a slow sip of the wine. All the while Andrea was staring at her and casually leaning against the counter. "So books over movies, and red over white. Interesting. Any other fun facts you want to grace me with?"

Miranda takes a big sip of the wine, _'she even looks amazing in those ratty clothes'_. "Like what?"

Andrea smirks. "Why fashion?"

Again Miranda takes a sip of wine before answering. "Why not?"

Andrea moves towards Miranda and slowly takes the glass from her and fills it back to the top. "Why not indeed." She mutters quietly. "Why Runway?"

"Everyone knows once you have been at Runway, you can go anywhere."

"Is that so?" says Andrea with a small sip of wine. "So where do you want to go after Runway?"

Miranda pauses and thinks. "I'm really not sure. I honestly just had the goal of getting into fashion and I guess I have gotten in fashion, even if it's just as an assistant." Miranda drinks more wine while contemplating her answer.

Andrea just watches as Miranda is lost in thought. She glances towards the clock hanging on the wall. "I do believe it has gotten quite late and both of us have to be up early tomorrow."

Miranda looks at her watch and is amazed to see it's well after midnight, getting the book here took longer than she had though. "Yes, well, thank you for the wine. It was wonderful. I will see you tomorrow Andrea." She puts the glass on the counter and slowly backs out of the room.

"Miranda." Miranda pauses. "Let me walk you out." says Andrea. They both head towards the door in silence. Andrea opens the door and Miranda walks out.

"Again thank you for the wine." Andrea just nods. "Now I just have to find a cab." Miranda says with a laugh.

"A cab? This late?" Andrea says with a frown.

"Well I didn't drive here, and even if I did I wouldn't drive because of the wine." Miranda says firmly.

Andrea opens her mouth to say something then stops. She takes a deep breath. "Come back in. You can stay here tonight." Andrea sighs and mutters, "god knows I have the room."

"I couldn't impose."

"You are staying and that is final." Andrea steps out of the doorway to allow Miranda back into the house. Reluctantly Miranda walks back in, she follows Andrea up the stairs and to a bedroom. "Here is a guest room. There should be towels in the bathroom along with a new toothbrush. I will get up early enough tomorrow to take you to your home so you can get fresh clothes. Have a good night Miranda."

Miranda watches as Andrea walks down the hall towards the master bedroom. She slowly closes the door and leans against it. "What have I gotten myself into?" she whispers to herself.

 _ **Ending notes: Hi all! I know it has been forever since I updated, my life just got crazy with college life. I just found the time to finish up this chapter and I hope you guys liked it! I will try my very best to finish this story in a timely manner. I know I'm not the best at updating but I will try! Review make me write faster!**_

 _ **~Ninjah Monkey (I went back and edited this a little bit. I guess taking a long break from a story will make you forget small details so I am going to update this chapter and chapter five and try to add a few more chapters this week. Thank you for sticking with me! I know my updating is sporadic and a mess but I try for you guys!)**_


	5. Chapter 5

Miranda wakes to the sound of knocking on wood. "Come in" she yells sleepily, thinking it's just the girls coming to tell her good morning. She hears soft footsteps approach her and someone clear their throat. She opens her eyes and see Andrea standing over her bed with a smirk on her face.

"Good morning Miranda."

Miranda quickly sits up and grabs the blanket to cover up with, "um good morning Andrea. I forgot I was here and was expecting my girls to be wanting to come in. I apologize."

"No need. I understand not being awake in the morning. Especially after not getting a lot of sleep. Now I have let you sleep as long as you can, we need to get going or we will be very late to work."

Miranda nods. "I'll will be down in a few minutes."

"Very well." Andrea turns and walks out of the room and closes the door behind her.

Miranda lets out a sigh and slouches back into the bed. She lays there for a minute then gets out of bed to go to the bathroom and make use of the shower even though she has to put dirty clothes on after. Her hair was in desperate need of taming.

About fifteen minutes later, Miranda emerges from the guest bedroom and makes her way downstairs. She calls out for Andrea, who answers quickly that she was in the kitchen. Miranda walks into the kitchen and was surprised to see Andrea in an apron making breakfast. "I don't know what you normally have for breakfast, but after a few glasses of wine I normally turn to carbs. So I made blueberry pancakes. I also have fruit, cereal, and oatmeal. What is you poison?"

"Those pancakes smell delicious. I will have two of those and an apple, if you don't mind." Miranda is amazed to see Andrea so relaxed.

"Very well." Andrea makes Miranda a plate. She then goes to fix herself a cup of coffee. "Would you like something to drink? Coffee, water, juice?"

"Coffee please."

Andrea fixes another cup of coffee. "I'm afraid you will have to drink it black because I am currently out of milk."

"Black is fine. It will help me wake up." Miranda is very weirded out by the conversation that is taking place.

After that no more questions were asked, Andrea drinks her coffee and reads the newspaper while Miranda tries to eat her breakfast as quickly as she can. Once she was done Miranda moves to put the plate in the sink.

"You don't have to wash it." Andrea says without looking up from the newspaper. "Are you ready?"

"Yes I am."

Andrea folds up the newspaper, "very well. Roy is waiting for us outside." Andrea gets up and walks towards the front door. She steps into a different room then emerges with the Book in hand and resumes walking to the front door. Miranda is close behind her, they both get into the car. "We are taking Miranda home Roy."

"Yes Andrea. What is the address?" Miranda quickly gives him her address and some general directions to her home. She quickly glances over to Andrea who is typing away on her phone. _'She is probably so behind in work. I will have to make this up to her. She has been so nice… Why does she have such a bad reputation?'_ Miranda is stuck in thought the whole drive.

Once they arrive at her home Andrea speaks up. "Do hurry Miranda. I don't like being this late." With that comment ringing in her head Miranda runs into her house and gets dressed in record time. As soon as she was done she rushes back out to Andrea's car. Miranda barely had her door shut before Roy was pulling out into the street. Again the whole car ride Andrea was typing away on her phone and Miranda was lost in thought.

Andy quickly got out of the car and practically runs into the building. She was determined not to be nice to Miranda today. She had already past her boundary line a ways back but soon that will be fixed. _'She is your assistant. Nothing more. You will not treat her different Sachs!'_ She knew Miranda was right behind her so once they got to the elevator she stepped in and quickly glared at Miranda who was walking in the elevator too. "And just what do you think you are doing?"

Miranda's' step faltered, "oh um I was getting in the elevator." Andy raised an eyebrow. Miranda slowly backed out of the elevator with a frown. Andy stared her in the eye till the door closed.

Once the doors were closed Andy slumped against the wall _'that was harder than it should have been. It hurt a little bit too. She looked… I don't know how she looked but I don't want her too look like that.'_ She shook her head, "No. You are Andrea Sachs! You are nice to no one and don't care about anyone. Get it together." She straightened her posture and closed off all thoughts about Miranda.

Miranda was standing outside the elevator doors with her mouth hanging open. Her mind was racing a mile a minute. _'She was so nice this morning. She is your boss. I know I'm not special. She was asking questions about me though. She kicked you out of the elevator. She let me stay the night. She literally just glared at you. I guess you know why she has a bad reputation'_ Her brain was arguing back and forth about Andrea for a good ten minutes. Her phone started ringing and it broke her out of the shock. It was Emily.

"Where are you!" Emily practically yelled in the phone.

"I'm waiting for the elevator. I will be up soon." Miranda said quietly.

"Hurry up! Andrea is in a mood." With that Emily hung up. Miranda sighed and pushed the button to call the elevator. Today was going to be rough.

"Emily!" Andy yelled from her office. "I need coffee five minutes ago!" Andy wasn't in a good mood. She couldn't get over how Miranda's eyes looked this morning. She knew she wasn't being reasonable but she couldn't help it this was how she worked things out, yelling at people. Andy has been ignoring Miranda the whole day. She felt a little bad for Emily, she was basically being two assistants instead of one, but she knew Emily also thrived from the attention.

After the sixth person ran out of her office crying, Andy got a visit from Nigel. He walked in and closed the door. "Alright, what's wrong?"

Andy glared at him. "Excuse me?" She practically growled.

"What is wrong? I haven't seen you this bad since that one year production got the release date wrong." Nigel said with a frown, "now I know nothing major is happening with the magazine, so again, what's wrong?"

"Nothing I can't handle Nigel. Thank you for your concern." Andy says with a roll of her eyes.

"Of course Andrea." Nigel says back with just as much sass. He turns and walks out of the office closing the door behind him. "She is in such a mood today."

"You have no idea." Emily says with a slight whine. "Something must have happened. Knowing Andrea it could have been anything."

Miranda sitting quietly at her desk trying not to think that Andrea's horrible mood was all her fault. With a grimace she turns back to her emails hoping that the day would just be over with so she could go home and see her girls.

Finally the end of the day rolls around and the book is delivered to Miranda who quickly rushes to Andrea's house. This time she was in and out in less than a minute. She practically ran to the cab and was on her way home. Once she arrived in her house she kicks off her heels and quietly walks up the stairs to the girls room. She opens the door and smiles at the scene that appears before her eyes; both girls laying in a tangle mess of sheets softly snoring away. With a sigh she closes the door and walks to her room hoping to get a good night's rest and be ready for another day in the office. ' _Only 303 days left to go._ '


	6. Chapter 6

_A few weeks later:_

Andy is pacing around her small hotel room phone in hand. She growls as another flash of lightning races across the sky. Her phone rings and she quickly answers "Yes."

"Andrea I am so sorry but there isn't any flights leaving Miami tonight. They are all grounded because of the hurricane." says Miranda.

"A hurricane? It's barely sprinkling." Andy states as lightning flashes again. "My father's birthday brunch is tomorrow at ten thirty and I will be there. Make it happen." Andy quickly hangs up and throws her phone across the room. It lands on the ground with a solid _thump_. She goes back to pacing around the hotel room occasionally muttering about the stupidity of assistants and weather.

Meanwhile in New York, Miranda is walking in circles in her daughter's school trying to get ahold of someone that can get Andrea a flight home. After another call ending without the results she wants she sees Stephen walking towards her.

"What the hell are you doing? Your daughters are in there having a great recital and you are out here making phone calls?" Stephen says in a hushed yell.

"I can't help it Stephen! It's my boss! Do you think I want to miss their recital?" Miranda hisses back.

"If you think you little job is more important than your own daughters then that is on you Miranda." Stephen says in a disgusted voice. He turns around and walks back towards the auditorium. With a sigh, Miranda accepts defeat and follows Stephen back to catch the tail end of the girls recital.

Andy was furious. She missed her dad's birthday and was stuck in Miami longer than she wanted. Once she got back to New York she pushed her team to the limit and most importantly pushed Miranda. She hurled insult after insult at the woman. She showed Miranda exactly why she was the feared leader of Runway. Andy knew it wasn't Miranda's fault she missed her dad's birthday, she knew Miranda couldn't control the weather but she still hung on to her anger about the situation.

Andy tried her best to keep Miranda out of the office because any time she saw her Andy wanted to go and apologize for her attitude but that was not what she did, she just keep hurling insults and making her run errands. No matter how much Andy wanted to go to Miranda and let her know that the hurricane wasn't her fault and she was sorry for all the harsh things she had been saying, she couldn't. Andy kept her running out of the office so she wouldn't feel the guilt when she looked at Miranda.

Miranda's life was hell. She was running all sorts of errands for Andrea, most of which ended up being pointless. She knew it was punishment for the hurricane but it didn't make it hurt any less. She was back to being called Emily and was taken off Book duty, and Andrea was cold to her. The insults she could take, but the cold, calculating look in Andrea's eyes is what hurt the most. She knew that her and Andrea weren't close and that this was how Andrea treated all of her employees but she thought she could be different. She thoght Andrea was different around her, _"turns out that wasn't true"_ she thought.

Her stressful work days ended up making her home life stressful as well. Stephen didn't take to kindly to being brushed off so many times, so he had started spending his nights in a hotel rather than at home. Her girls were trying to put on a brave face but she knew they were not happy either. _"Something has got to give,"_ she thought to herself, _"I don't know how much more of this I can take."_

With a sigh she shook herself out of the melancholy state her thoughts had put her in and turned back to the computer and went back to answering emails till her next task was yelled out to her. After twenty minutes of answering emails, a short "Emily" was yelled out of Andrea's office. Miranda was up and out of her chair as quick as she could move.

"Yes Andrea." Miranda said softly. Andrea had her hands steepled together in front of her mouth and she just stared at Miranda. Miranda shifted under Andrea's stare. She cleared her throat and looked around the office.

"I am moving you to work with Nigel." Andrea said in a curt voice then picked up her pen and started working on something.

Miranda was stunned. "Um, what?" She stuttered out.

Andrea quickly looked up, glared at Miranda and she slowly put down her pen. "I don't not repeat myself, but since you don't seem to have to brain power to understand a simple sentence I will say it slower so you can understand: You are being moved to work with Nigel. Did you catch it that time? Maybe you are losing your hearing. You should get that checked. That's all." Andrea said with a cold look in her eyes and with a quick flick of her hand Miranda was dismissed.

Miranda was shocked. She turned and walked out of the office ignoring the calls from Emily. _"Don't cry don't cry don't cry"_ was repeated in her head over and over as she made her way to the restroom. As soon as she slammed the stall door shut the tears started falling. _"What just happened?"_

Back in Andrea's office, Andy quickly got up out of her chair and closed her office doors and locked it. She turned around and slowly walked back to her chair and sat down. As soon as she hit the chair the tears were flowing. _"God the hurt look in her eyes! Why am I like this?"_ she took a shuddering breath in _"you know why Sachs. You are the cold hearted editor in chief of Runway. You don't have time to deal with these feelings! You had to move her. She was a distraction and you couldn't keep her running errands just to keep her away, you were gonna run her to death."_ Andy put her head down on her desk with a thud and closed her eyes and whispered "this is best for the both of us."

A few weeks after 'The Incident', everyone was walking on eggshells. It was time for the magazine to be published but Andrea was not happy. Nothing seemed to appease the woman. Change after change was made but nothing was what Andrea was looking for. Emily was slowly losing her mind from the lack of sleep and the amount of stress the past few weeks. The whole office was being pushed to their max. They were only a week from the dead line and they still were short a whole spread.

While the office was rushing around trying to get a spread together that Andrea might approve of, Nigel was walking around his office trying to make sense of what happened a few weeks ago. He noticed how Miranda had become quiet and didn't seem to make eye contact anymore. She was withdrawn. He noticed how Andrea was constantly sulking in her office and snapping at everyone. He knew something had happened between the two women, he just didn't know what. With a shake of his head, he left his office in search of Miranda.

He found her in the closet, she was in there most of her days now just sorting through clothes as he didn't really have a need for an assistant. "Hey Mir." He said quietly.

Miranda looked up from the pile of clothes that was in front of her, "Hi Nigel."

"I was wondering if you come take a lunch break with me?" Nigel said with a charming smile, _"I'm gonna get her to talk if it's the last thing I do."_

"Oh it's lunch time already? Alright let me finish up this pile and we can go." Miranda said with a small smile.

Nigel smiled back, "I will be right back." He turned and walked out of the closet and headed towards Andrea's office. Once there he quickly stuck his head in her office and said "I'm taking a lunch break. I suggest you take a break as well." Andrea didn't even look up at him just waved her hand and continued working. Nigel shook his head and headed back to the closet to pick up Miranda.

They went to a small bistro a few blocks from Runway and got a booth in the back corner so they could talk. Or that was the reason behind Nigel picking the booth, Miranda didn't think anything of it. They ordered a small meal, both sat in comfortable silence just enjoying the much needed break till their food arrive. With a deep breath Nigel spoke.

"So, you know I love you right?"

Miranda looked up from her salad at Nigel and narrowed her eyes, "what is it?"

Nigel scoffs, "what makes you think there is something? Can't I just tell a friend I love her?"

"No, you can't." Miranda says suspiciously.

"Alright alright. There is something." Nigel steels his nerves, "I want to know what happened between you and Andrea. And I want to know why you can't seem to stand being in the same room as her? And why she avoids you like the plague?" Miranda's jaw drops open in shock at the questions.

Nigel sits with a expectant look on his face while he waits for Miranda to get over her shock at his questions. "Well?"

"I um.. Why do you think something happened?" Miranda says weakly. Nigel just gives her a hard look. "It's not really your business you know." Miranda says a little stronger.

"Not my business?!" Nigel says a little harshly. "I work at Runway. Andrea is my boss, I am her right hand man and when something happens that breaks down the fine tuned machine that is Runway, you can bet your ass it's my business!" Miranda looks away from Nigel with a slight guilty look on her face. "Listen Mir, I know you are hurting right now just let me help." Nigel pleads.

Miranda looks up with tears misting in her eyes, "the thing is Nigel, I don't know what happened. One day Andrea was nice asking about my favorite things and then the hurricane happened and she just turned into someone else." She took a deep breath and looks away from Nigel before continuing almost lost in her own thoughts, "I think the thing that hurt the most was her eyes. Her eyes turned cold. Almost overnight. Gone were the warm brown eyes, they had turned to ice. Cold and calculating." Miranda took a deep breath and lost herself in her head.

Nigel sat amazed at what he just heard. _"Does she not realize how big of a deal all of this is? Andrea being nice to her! Obviously they have feelings towards one another even if they don't realize it. Women"_ Nigel thinks with an eye roll.

"Mir." Miranda slowly comes out of her thoughts to look over at Nigel. "Mir I think you need to talk to her." She opens her mouth to interrupt but Nigel holds his hand up to stop her. "Just listen for a minute. Andrea is not a nice person, at least not in Runway. She has to keep up the harsh exterior in order to keep control of her position. Being editor in chief is a very stressful job and because she is so young there is so much pressure on her shoulders and everyone is just waiting for her to fail. She obviously saw something in you, and you brought out the real Andrea. That probably frightened her, she pushed you away so hard because she can't be anything but Runway's Andrea. Do you understand?"

"But what if you are wrong? What if there is nothing there? What if I just imagined it all? She could just be-"

"Hey hey! No. Listen, I know it doesn't seem like it but I know Andrea. I have been with her since the start. Trust me on this and go talk to her." Nigel said with a smile, "now I do believe we have went way over our lunch break time. Let's go back so I can save the day and finish that last spread."

 _ **AN: Hey guys! Long time no see huh? I am sorry about such a long wait for the update! I know I suck at keeping a schedule and the updates come at random times, but know I am working on this! I write for fun and sometimes I just have to put it on the back burner for a little bit. I hope you guys stick with me as I try and finish this story out. The relationship you guys are craving will show up soon I promise! Leave me a review to help me out! (I don't have a beta so help me catch my mistakes!) ~Ninjah Monkey**_


	7. Chapter 7

Miranda sits in the closet thinking about what Nigel said at lunch. His words running through her mind. _"Could there really be something there? I know she is known as the harsh person, but she wasn't like that with me at the start… maybe there is something…"_ Miranda was lost in her thoughts when she heard the door to the closet slam shut. She sits up quickly and listens to see if anyone would come her way. She doesn't hear any footsteps, so she quietly gets up from her seat and walks towards the door. As she rounds the corner there is Andrea leaning up against the door with her eyes closed. _"She looks so beautiful"_ Miranda thinks in the back corner of her mind. She just stands and stares taking in Andrea's appearance, she hadn't seen her in so long. _"She looks tired…"_

Andy could feel eyes on her, she snaps her eyes up and looks around for the source. Her brown eyes quickly meet icy blue eyes. She gasps softly, _"had her eyes always been such a deep, expressive color?"_ Andy thinks. _"Snap out of it Sachs!"_ Miranda sees something flash in Andrea's eyes before they quickly lose all emotion. Andrea stands up straight and in a cold voice says, "so I am paying you to stand around now?"

Miranda quickly looks away from Andrea. "Sorry Miss Sachs. I heard the door slam and I came to see what happened. I will get back to work." She turns and walks deeper into the closet away from those cold brown eyes with a frown on her face.

Andy slowly leans back against the door till her head thumps against it. _"Back to Miss Sachs. What have you gotten yourself into Andrea."_ She turns and leaves the closet completely forgetting the reason she went there in the first place. She walks back to her office lost in her thoughts. As she makes it to her desk, she glances at the clock, _"I think I am going to go home early. I need a night off, and a stiff drink to get those haunting blue eyes out of my head."_ Andy packs up her purse and sends Roy a quick text letting him know she wants to leave a little early and to let her know when he gets there. Then she sits down at her desk and waits while thinking about the sad look on Miranda's face, the one she had caused.

Finally after what seemed like hours her phone gets a text from Roy letting her know that he is downstairs and waiting for her. As gets up and walks out of the office barking at Emily to get her coat. _"I need to give that girl a raise."_ She thinks absentmindedly as Emily rushes to get her coat. Sunglasses and coat in place she gets on the elevator down and is soon on her way home.

Back in the office, Emily is talking to Nigel, "I swear Nigel I don't remember the last time she went home so early! I hope she isn't getting sick or something. She has been in quite a mood recently. She even forgot to get the boots she wanted from the closet!"

"Wait she went to the closet? Herself?"

"Yes! She was muttering something about doing everything herself and stalks down there." Emily sniffed, "It's not like I couldn't do it. Anyways, she came back empty handed and deep in thought." Emily says a little concerned for her boss.

"Really? Interesting." Nigel says a quick goodbye to Emily and goes to find Miranda. He of course checked the closet first as that is basically Miranda's office now. He found her in the very back where they keep the clothes that didn't make the final cut. "Hey Mir." He got no answer from Miranda, she just gave a half hearted wave. "What's with the gloom and doom?"

"It's nothing." Miranda mutteres.

"Come on. Tell me. You know you can tell me anything." Nigel says seriously.

"Andrea was in here today." Miranda says so softly Nigel thought he had imagined the words.

"You know Emily said she came in here and then almost immediately went home. Andrea never goes home early." Miranda just shrugs. "Alright come on get up." Nigel starts pulling on Miranda's arm.

"Nigel! What are you doing?"

"I am getting you out of this funk! Come on, we are going to my office and we are getting you a drink." Nigel says firmly.

"You keep alcohol in your office?" Miranda asks bewildered.

"If you work here long enough, you have to keep alcohol close, now let's go!" Nigel pulls Miranda all the way to his office where he moves around behind his desk and quickly pulls out a half empty bottle of whiskey. "Now we were going to sit here and work some of this out."

"Nigel I got the girls at home. The nanny needs to be set home. My husband isn't living at home anymore so I have to take care of the girls." Miranda says with a small sigh, _"how has my life become this messy?"_

Nigel just nods in understanding. "Fine go take care of your girls. But tomorrow you are going to sit down with me and you will have at least one drink with me. Now get back to work!" Miranda just smiles at Nigel's antics. "Of course Nigel." Miranda goes back to the closet to finish out her work day.

The end of the day was less stressful for the office because of the fact Andrea wasn't there. Everyone could breath and get their work done. Some even left on time instead of the usual hours late. Miranda was one of those people who clocked out a five instead of her usual ten. She wanted to spend some time with her girls.

She made it home right in time for dinner. She stopped in the kitchen to ask the nanny to stay a little later tomorrow. After that was settled she quietly snuck into the dining room to surprise the girls. As soon as she steps into the room her arms are full of two of her favorite people in the world and her ears are filled with the scream of 'Mom' from both girls.

"Hello Bobbseys" she says with a bright smile on her face. "How are you guys today?" The dining room is quickly filled with the sounds of her daughters telling her about their day and about all the drama that occured at school the past week. Miranda just smiled through all of it because she had missed her daughters these past few days, working late and then getting up early for work hadn't allowed her time to see her girls so she was grateful for this time.

Soon the conversation wound down as the girls had finished telling Miranda about their days. After a few moments of quiet, Caroline said, "mom, is Stephen moving out forever?" Miranda sighed, she had almost forgotten about her husband and how he hadn't been home in weeks, rather staying in a hotel.

"Oh Caroline. I don't know my darling girl. Right now me and Stephen are having a disagreement. And I am sorry if-"

"No! Don't be sorry! I think I speak for both of us," the girls looked at each other and had a quick conversation with their eyes, "when I say that we don't miss Stephen. He never made you really happy mom. We just want you to be happy." she says softly.

Miranda had tears in her eyes, _"I seem to be crying a lot recently"_ flashed across her head before she spoke to her daughter, "Girls… things are complicated. I need to talk to him and work things about but you two shouldn't worry about these things. When did you guys grow up?" She said with a sigh.

Both girls got up and gave their mother a hug, "we love you mom." they said in sync.

"And I love you to, Bobbseys." The Priestly girls had a long group hug. Finally Miranda pulled herself together, "I think we deserve some dessert and a movie. What do you girls think?"

"Chocolate ice cream and Harry Potter!" was shouted from both girls as they ran out of the dining room to the kitchen to get the ice cream.

"I swear you two practice talking at the same time." Miranda says with a laugh as she gets up and follows after them. Her heart lighter than it had been in weeks. _" This is just what I needed."_

Across the city Andy is having a horrible night. She came home early from work to get away from her thoughts but now she is in this big townhouse by herself with nothing but her thoughts. She was able to distract herself for a little but by working but soon finished what little was left for this month's issue.

Sitting around was never one of Andy's strong suites. She always had to be doing something. Tonight that something just happened to be drinking. She knew that drinking wasn't the best decision but that scotch was calling her name and she just couldn't resist.

After a few drinks and a sappy chick flick, one of Andy's weaknesses, later Andy was still on edge. She couldn't relax or really focus on anything, the only she did do was refill her glass over and over again and mull over the last couple of weeks. Till she finally made it to the topic of Miranda.

"Why iz her eyes so eyes? And tha hair swoop! That hair swoop is a swoop!" Andy laughs as she tries to swoop her own hair. "I fink her hair is soft! I should ask!" Andy stumbles over to her desk where her phone is. She struggles to unlock her phone because the number pad is a bit blurry. "Ha! Got it! Take that you, you blurry number thing!" she scrolls to find Miranda's name and types out a text: iiz, the huar,, swoop soft?...

Feeling accomplished Andy walks back to her couch where she flops down, phone still in hand. With a smile, she passes out. The only thing coming for the Sachs townhouse was the snores of the very drunk Andrea.

Back in the Priestly household, Miranda's phone went off with a soft vibration on her bedside table. But it fell on deaf ears as Miranda had already escaped to the land of dreams after her night with Caroline and Cassidy.

 _ **AN: Another chapter done! I'm still chipping away at this work paragraph by paragraph. I hope you guys enjoy! I am trying to get as much writing as done as I can but college is very good at distracting me. Leave me a review and tell me whatcha think! ~NinjahMonkey**_


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